Gate for locomotive-tenders.



No. 766,380. PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904. W. R. & R. PITT.

GATE FOR LOGDMOTIVE TENDERS.

APPLICATION IILED JULY 22. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- No. 766,330. PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904. W. R. & R. PITT. GATE FOR LOCOMDTIVE TENDERS.

APPLICATION TILED JULY 22, 1903.

N0 MODEL, l 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

TNESSES: INVENTOR .S

E a a hm 02.12/11 Q1; x I L/YM ATTORNE UNITED STATES Patented August 2, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. PITT AND RAFFORD PITT, OF NEIV ROCHELLE, NElV YORK.

GATE FOR LOCOMOTlVE-TENDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,380, dated. August 2, 1904,

Application filed July 22, 1908. Serial No. 166,545. No model.

To rt 117mmit may concern:

Be it known that we, \VILLIAMR. PITT and Rarroen II'r'r, citizens of the United States, residing at New Rochelle, in the county of Westchcster, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Grates for Locomoti ve-Tenders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates more particularly to that class of gates in which the gate is hinged at a point between its inner and outer vertical edges to a swinging support;

In general terms our improvement comprises a swinging support or brace hinged on a vertical axis at its inner end to a fixed point on the side of the locomotive-tender in combination with a swinging gate hinged on a vertical axis to the outer end of said support at a point between the vertical edges of the gate, said gate being provided with adjustable sliding panels for producing an opening of varying size at the bottom of the gate.

The object of our invention is to provide a gate which can be readily opened and closed, even though but a small portion of the tender be unoccupied by coal, and which when closed will act as a support for the coal in the tender, while permitting an opening at the bottom of the gate which may be varied in extent to permit the passage of coal of different sizes.

Our invention is fully shown in the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters refer to similar parts.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a gate embodying our improvement and shown standing in full closed position. Fig. 2 is a plan view of our invention from above, showing also the position of the gate when partially open.

In the drawings, H H are the sides of the tender. Attached to the side H is an angleiron K, projecting from which are lugs or cars U (1, adapted to receive and support the vertical bar I). Hinged on the bar I) are u pper and lower swinging supports or braces B B. To the outer end of these supports is hinged a gate A, the hinges being denoted by E E. These hinges are attached to the gateA at points approximately midway between its vertical edges, the axes of the hinges E E being in the same vertical axis. \Ve have shown a gate with its transverse portion composed partly of strips of iron 11 a" and partly for strength of angle-irons 7) 7/, which is the preferred construction both for the sake of lightness and cheapness; but a gate or door of solid panels would answer the purposes of my invention equally well. In the lower part of the gate are adjustable sliding panels F F, cut away at the bottom to permit coal to be shoveled out and adapted to be raised and lowered, so as to vary the extent of the opening and adapt the same to coal of ditl'erent sizes. The inner edge of the gate being that edge which is nearest to the side H of the tender when the gate is closed is arranged to swing freely inwardly in the manner shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. In this movement the other vertical edge of the gate swings slightly outward, while the vertical axis on which the swinging supports are hinged to the gate describes a path indicated by the dotted line 0 in Fig. 2. As will be apparent, the gate can thus be folded back against the side H of the tender within very much less clear space than would be necessary with a door or gate hinged in the usual manner.

J J are angle-irons projecting from the side H of the tender.

L L are the projecting ends of angle-iron I) and strip (1''. hen the gate is fully closed, the ends L L are held between the angle-irons J J on one side, H, of the tender and the inner edge of the gate takes against the angleiron K on the side I I of the tender. These angle-irons maintain the gate in a lirm upright position, so that the gate becomes a support for the coal, thus performing the double function of furnishingsupport and of acting as an ordinary gate.

G G are handles on the adjustable panels F F, whereby the same can be raised or lowered.

M is a pin suspended by a chain N from a fixed point 0 on the gate.

P P are holes in the adjustable panels, into which the pin M is thrust to hold the panels at different heights.

The operation of our invention will be anderstood from the foregoing description. When it is desired to fill the tender with coal, the gate is closed and the panels are lowered. The gate then acts substantially as the closed end of a box-car, supporting the coal and preventing its escape. hen the locomotive is in use, the coal is shoveled from under the gate, the adjustable panels F F being raised to such height as will permit the necessary amount of coal to slide under the gate, reference being had to the size of the coal, the panels being held in place by pin M. As the supply of coal in the tender diminishes to a point where the coal can no longer be reached through the opening in the lower part of the gate, the inner vertical edge of the gate is pushed back until the gate is folded against the side H of the tender, leaving the front end of the tender open for the fireman to reach the coal still remaining.

N0 convenient method for closing the front end of a locomotive-tender has been in use heretofore. The ordinary gate cannot be used because the space required for it to swing open is so large, and the wooden or metal cross-pieces which have to be removed every time the supply of coal in the tender diminishes are liable to be lost or bent. Our invention furnishes a convenient device for overcoming all these difficulties.

Ve do not confine ourselves to the precise construction herein shown and described, as such construction can be varied in many details without modifying the essential nature of our invention.

We do not broadly claim the combination of swinging supports hinged at their inner ends to fixed points with a swinging door hinged on a vertical axis to the outer end of said supports at points between the vertical edges of the gate, as we are aware that such gates have been frequently used before; but

WVhat we do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a locomotive-tender, swinging supports hinged at their inner ends on a vertical bar fixed at the side of the tender, a swinging gate hinged on a vertical axis to the outer ends of such supports at points nearly midway between the vertical edges of said gate, adjustable sliding panels in the lower part of the said gate, suitable means for raising and lowering said panels and for holding the same at any desired height; in combination with angle-irons projecting from the sides of the tender against which stops projecting from the gate will take firmly when the gate is fully closed, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a locomotive-tender, swinging supports hinged at their inner ends on a vertical bar fixed at the side of the tender, a slatted swinging gate hinged on a vertical axis to the outer ends of said supports at points nearly midway between the vertical edges of said gate, adjustable sliding panels in the lower part of the said gate cut away at the bottom so as to leave an opening and adapted to vary the size of said opening, handles upon the said adjustable panels for raising and lowering the same and suitable means for holding the panels at any desired height; in combination with angle-irons projecting from the sides of the tender against which stops projecting from the gate take firmly when the gate is fully closed, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

WILLIAM R. PITT. RAFFORD PITT. Witnesses:

H. M. CooMEs, WALTER P. Hnss. 

